Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating synchronization in a wireless mesh network

ABSTRACT

Apparatus, and associated method, by which to synchronize nodes in a wireless mesh network, such as a fixed broadband network or a moving ad-hoc mesh network. Time stamps are added to data packets at a reference node defined pursuant to a pseudo hierarchy. The data packets are communicated by the reference node to a receiving node. The time stamp information is extracted therefrom, to provide an indication of a time reference value from which the time stamp information is formed. Registers are maintained at the nodes with updated values of the timing information, used in time synchronization between the nodes of the mesh network.

The present invention relates generally to a manner by which tofacilitate time synchronization between nodes of a mesh network, such asa fixed broadband access network or a moving ad hoc mesh network. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and anassociated method, by which to provide accurate time reference indiciato the nodes of the mesh network to permit time and clocksynchronization pursuant to a synchronization hierarchy. Time stamps areadded to data packets at a node at which an updated time reference valueis maintained. When sent to another node, the time stamp is extracted toprovide the other node with the updated time reference value. The timereference value is buffered and updated at a register and selectablyretrieved therefrom to form the time stamp.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Communication of data between remotely-positioned sending and receivingstations is a necessary adjunct of modern society. A wide variety ofdifferent types of communication-systems have been developed and areregularly utilized to effectuate communication of data between thesending and receiving stations.

Communication technology advancements have permitted the development,and commercial implementation, of new types of communication systems.Radio communication systems are exemplary of communication systems whichhave benefited from the advancements in communication technologies.Improvements to existing types of radio communication systems, as wellas new types of radio communication systems, have been made possible asa result of the advancements in communication technologies.

Use of a radio communication system inherently permits increasedcommunication mobility in contrast to use of a conventional wirelinecommunication system. Communication channels defined between sending andreceiving stations of a radio communication system are defined uponradio links formed therebetween. The communication channels are referredto as radio channels and do not require fixed connections for theirformation.

The advancements in communication technologies which have permitted thedevelopment and implementation of new types of communication systemsinclude, for instance, digital communication techniques. The use ofdigital communication techniques permits the communication capacity of acommunication system to be increased as well as also to improve thequality levels of communications effectuated in the communicationsystem.

Information which is to be communicated in a digital communicationsystem is digitized. Once digitized, the digitized information isformatted, such as into packets of data, referred to as data packets.Data packets are sent by a sending station upon the radio channel to thereceiving channel, thereby to effectuate the communication of the datapackets therebetween. Individual ones, or groups, of the packets can becommunicated at discrete intervals, and, once communicated, the packetsof data can be concatenated together to recreate the informationalcontent of the transmitted information.

Because the packets of data can be sent at discrete intervals, a radio,or other, communication channel need not be dedicated solely for thecommunication of data pursuant to a single communication session betweenone sending station and one receiving station. A dedicated channel, incontrast, is required in conventional circuit-switched communications.In packet-switched communications, a single channel can be used pursuantto the effectuation of a plurality of different communication sessions.Improved communication capacity is possible due to the shared nature ofthe communication channels permitted in packet-switched communications.

A wireless mesh network is a radio communication system which can beconstructed to provide for the communication of packet data pursuant,e.g., to a digital communication technique. A wireless mesh networktypically includes a plurality of nodes, each node capable ofcommunicating with at least one other node. A wireless mesh network isimplemented, for instance, as a fixed broadband access network capableof communicating broadband data between fixed-site communicationstations which form the nodes. A moving ad-hoc mesh network is alsorepresentative of a wireless mesh network.

Network synchronization is necessary in a wireless mesh network toproperly utilize the radio resources available to communicate thereon.Transmission and reception scheduling is conventionally utilized in awireless mesh network. Scheduling is required to ensure that the nodesof the network be synchronized in time. Through appropriate timesynchronization, guard intervals separating communications upon a radiolink can be reduced as the synchronization limits the amount of driftingof bursts of packet data beyond a defined transmission period. Withoutproper synchronization, guard intervals of increased sizes are required,thereby reducing the communication capacity upon the radio links formedbetween nodes of the network.

In a mesh network, a formal hierarchy is not necessarily defined. And,if a hierarchy is defined, reference distribution, pursuant to whichsynchronization is performed, is implemented hierarchically. Referenceerrors increase accumulatively in successive branches of thehierarchically-defined structure.

A manner by which to provide a systematic reference by which toeffectuate time synchronization in a mesh network, such as a fixedbroadband access network or a moving ad-hoc mesh network would thereforebe advantageous.

It is in light of this background information related to communicationsin a mesh network that the significant improvements of the presentinvention have evolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus,and an associated method, by which to facilitate time synchronizationbetween nodes of a mesh network, such as a fixed broadband accessnetwork or a moving ad-hoc mesh network.

Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, accuratetime reference indicia is provided to the nodes of the mesh network topermit time and clock synchronization pursuant to a synchronizationhierarchy.

An updated time reference value is maintained at a node of the meshnetwork. The time reference value is used as a time stamp which is addedto data packets which are to be communicated by the node to anothernode. When sent to the other node, the time stamp is extract to providethe other node with the updated time reference value. The time referencevalue is maintained at the first node at a register and is selectablyretrieved therefrom to be used the time stamp.

In one aspect of the present invention, a network time register ispositioned at a first node formed of a first communication station ofthe mesh network. A clock signal is applied to the network timeregister, and the contents of the network time register are incremented,either positively or negatively, thereby to maintain an update at theregister of an updated time reference value. At least selected datapackets are time-stamped with time reference values retrieved from thenetwork time register. When the data packets are communicated to asecond, or other, node formed of another communication station, the timestamp is extracted from the data packet and used to time synchronize theother communication station to the first communication station.

Delay between the send time, i.e., the time at which the data packet issent by the first communication station and the receive time, i.e., thetime at which the data is received at the second communication station,is compensated for by calculation of the transmission duration.Calculation is made by returning a data packet from the secondcommunication station to the first communication station. The time atwhich the returned data packet is received at the first communicationstation permits determination of the transmit time between the twocommunication stations. An additional data packet is sent to the secondcommunication station to inform the second communication station of thetransmission time period and the corresponding alteration of the timereference value which should be maintained at the second communicationstation.

In another aspect of the present invention, an additional register, alatch register, is also formed at the first communication station. Thenetwork latch register is coupled to the network time register, and timereference values buffered and maintained at the network time registerare also selectably storable at the network latch register. The valuesare retrieved and latched thereat upon application to the latch registerof a trigger signal. When the trigger signal is applied to the latchregister, the contents of the network time register are copied thereto.

In another aspect of the present invention, a network strobe register isalso formed at the first communication station. The strobe register isalso coupled to the network time register to receive values of thereference time stored thereat. The strobe register counts out andgenerates a signal which forms the trigger signal when the registercounts out. Thereby, at periodic intervals, when the strobe registercounts out, a trigger signal is generated and applied to latch register.

Registers, either implemented as hardware devices or as softwaredevices, formed at a communication station in a mesh network provide amanner by which to maintain, and update, a time reference value. Bytime-stamping selected data packets which are communicated by thecommunication station to another communication station, timesynchronization therebetween is provided. And, when successive nodes,i.e., communication stations of the mesh network include such registers,network-wide synchronization is implementable. A pseudo-hierarchy isalso provided by defining a one of the communication stations tomaintain the reference time value.

In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associatedmethod, is provided for a wireless mesh network having a firstcommunication station and at least a second communication station.Time-synchronization of communication of data between the first andleast second communication stations is provided. A network time registeris coupled to receive a time reference signal of values representativeof a reference time. The network time register buffers and maintainsupdated values of the reference time. A data formatter is coupled to thenetwork time register. The data formatter formats the data to becommunicated between the first and least second communication stationsof the wireless mesh network. The data, once formatted, includes indiciaassociated with the updated values of the reference time buffered at thenetwork time register.

A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scopethereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are brieflysummarized below, the following detailed description of thepresently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and to the appendedclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of an exemplary wirelessmesh network in which an embodiment of the present invention isoperable.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional block diagram of exemplary networktiming circuitry of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram, similar to is that shownin FIG. 2, of timing circuitry of an alternate embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a functional block diagram of an implementation ofthe timing circuitry of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a functional block diagram of clock synchronizationcircuitry of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method flow diagram of the method of operation ofan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 also illustrates a method flow diagram, also representative ofthe method of operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a representation of communications between first andsecond nodes of the exemplary wireless mesh network shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, an exemplary wireless mesh network, showngenerally at 10, provides for wireless communications between aplurality of nodes 12 which collectively form the mesh network. In theexemplary implementation, the wireless mesh network forms a fixedwireless broadband access network. In another implementation, the meshnetwork 10 is representative of a mobile ad-hoc network.

Each of the nodes 12 forms a wireless communication station capable oftransceiving communication signals with other communication stations.When the mesh network provides for packet data communications, thecommunication stations are operable to communication packet datatherebetween.

While a mesh network does not necessarily contain a hierarchy, the meshnetwork 10 shown in the figure defines a pseudo-hierarchy relative to acenter (as-shown) communication station 12-C. The communication station12-C forms a reference node. Distances from the reference node fromother nodes are defined in terms of hops.

With respect to the reference node 12-C, a first set of nodes formed ofcommunications, in here shown at 12-1 are positioned at one-hop distancefrom the reference node 12-C. Another set of communication stationsformed for the nodes, here shown at 12-2, are two-hop distances from thereference node 12-C. And, a third set of communications stations formedof the nodes, and here shown at 12-3 are at three-hope distances fromthe reference node 12-C. Nodes 12-4 and 12-5 are analogously numberedresponsive to their respective hop distances from the reference node.

While only a single reference node 12-C is represented in FIG. 1, apseudo-hierarchy formed of multiple references can also be defined in awireless mesh network. In such an implementation, the simplistichop-distribution shown in FIG. 1 with respect to a signal reference nodeis not utilized. But, in such an implementation, a single nodesynchronizes, for example, to its neighbors with a lowest distance to areference node.

To provide for efficient utilization of the radio resources allocated tothe mesh network, appropriate levels of time synchronization arerequired to be effectuated in the mesh network. An embodiment of thepresent invention provides for time and clock synchronization pursuantto a pseudo-hierarchy which provides appropriate levels ofsynchronization between the nodes of the mesh network to permitefficient synchronization of the radio resources allocated to thenetwork. The manner by which the synchronization is provided permits amesh network utilizing more than one synchronization source toeffectuate time synchronization as well as also to provide a referenceto various destination nodes.

FIG. 2 illustrates timing circuitry, shown generally at 20, of anembodiment of the present invention. The timing circuitry isfunctionally represented and can be implemented in any desired manner,both software implementations, hardware implementations, andcombinations both hardware and software implementations. In theexemplary implementation, the timing circuitry 20 is implemented at oneor more of the nodes of the of the mesh network. In the implementationshown in FIG. 1 which shows a signal reference formed of thecommunication station forming the node 12-C, the timing circuitry isformed at least at the reference node 12-C. To permit synchronization ofdata packets communicated over several hops between nodes, other of thecommunication stations forming others of the nodes also includes thetiming circuitry 20.

The circuitry 20 includes a network time register 22 of a register sizecapable of buffering a clock value which defines a reference time. Aninput clock signal here generated on the line 24 is applied to theregister 22 to alter the buffered time reference value stored in theregister.

Time reference values maintained at the register 22 are accessible, hereby a data formatter 26 to retrieve the reference values buffered at theregister 22 and to add values representative of the time referencevalues to data packets into which data formatted by the data formatteris formatted. The time reference values form time stamps. And, the timestamp is representative of a reference time and is included in theheader portion of outgoing, or incoming, data packets. When added to anoutgoing data packet, the time stamp information is added into thepacket, and when added into an incoming data packet the time stampinformation added as a separate indication of the reception time atwhich the data packet is received at the node at which the circuitry 20is formed.

The time reference value buffered at the network time register 22 isincremented for each clock cycle of the clock signal applied thereto.Not all of the least significant bits of the buffered value need to beavailable if the precision time stamp value to be added to a data packetdoes not require that the least significant bit, or bits, be used. Byselectably selecting the number of bits to be used in the time stampingfunction, the circuitry 20 can be used over a broad range offrequencies, enabling different kinds of reference signals.

The circuitry 20 further includes a latch register 32. The latchregister is coupled to the network time register 22 and is selectablyoperable to retrieve and latch in the latch register a time referencevalue buffered and maintained at the register 22. The latch registerlatches a value of the time reference value buffered at the register 22upon application of a trigger signal thereto on the line 34. Uponapplication of the trigger signal on the line 34 to the latch register32, the contents of the network time register 22 are copied into thelatch register 32 and maintained thereat. When the trigger signal isgenerated upon the occurrence of a selected event, the time referencevalued stored at the latch register is representative of the time ofoccurrence of the selected event. Thereby, an accurate reading of when acertain event occurred is stored at the latch register 32. Access to thetime of occurrence of the event is available for subsequent analysis orprocessing.

Several output sources are able to be synchronized to a single inputsource thereby. The input source would, e.g., become a master of thenetwork time register 22. Each of the time stamping circuitry of therespective output sources are accessible to the network time register 22in manners analogous to the manner by which the time stamp circuitry ofthe data formatter 26 shown in FIG. 1 is capable of accessing the timereference value buffered at the network time register 22. If the outputsources are positioned at different devices, such as on differentintegrated circuitry chips or different integrated circuitry boards,synchronization is obtained by providing the clock signal generated onthe line 24 and the trigger signal applied on the line 34 on each of theoutput sources. The clock signal generated on the line generated on theline 24 provides a time base. And, by generating the trigger signal uponthe occurrence of the selected event, a time reference value is latchedat the latch register.

FIG. 3 illustrates the timing circuitry of a further embodiment of thepresent invention. Again, the timing circuitry includes the network timeregister 22 and the latch register 32. And, the network time register iscoupled to a data formatter 26 which includes time stamping circuitryfor selectably time stamping selected data packets. The line 24 uponwhich the clock signal is generated for application to the register 22is again shown.

Here, the timing circuitry 20 further includes a strobe register 42. Thestrobe register 42 is coupled to the network time register andselectably buffers a value retrieved from the network time registerthereat. When the register counts out, a strobe signal is generated onthe line 34 which forms the trigger signal which is applied to the latchregister 32. In this implementation, the trigger signal causes a valueof the period length between the generation of two trigger signals to bewritten into the register 32, and the trigger signals are generatedperiodically with a high degree of accuracy.

FIG. 4 illustrates circuitry 40 representative of a multiple-deviceconfiguration in which the timing circuitry shown in FIG. 2 or 3 areimplemented. Here, a clock oscillator in which the timing circuitryshown in FIG. 2 or 3 are implemented.

Here, a clock oscillator 41 generates a clock signal on the lines 24which are applied to clock pins 42 at circuit devices 44, 46 and 48. Atrigger signal, generated at the circuit device 48 is applied to strobepins 52 of the devices 46 and 48. The circuit devices 44, 46, and 48 arerepresentative of any of a large variety of devices, such as a radiointerface, ethernet and a GPS (global positioning system) receiver.

FIG. 5 illustrates clock synchronizations circuitry 60 which includesthe timing circuitry 20 shown previously in FIGS. 2 and 3. Here, areference clock signal is generated by a voltage-control clockoscillator (VCXO) 62. The clock signal is applied to the timingcircuitry 20. And, time stamping is provided by the timing circuitry.The circuitry 60 also includes interface circuitry 64 which generates abiasing signal on the line 66 for application to the clock oscillator.The physical interface circuitry 64 tracks the frequency of an incomingsignal. If the incoming signal is a synchronization reference signal, abiasing signal is generated on the line 66 to alter the oscillationfrequency of the clock oscillator 62. When the oscillation frequency ofthe reference clock signal is corrected, the correct reference clockfrequency is obtainable from the physical signal itself, or at least acalculation of the offset. When the reference clock biasing isavailable, the device is capable of adjusting its own reference to matchthe reference of the network.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method flow diagram, shown generally at 70, of themethod of operation of an embodiment of the present invention by whichto time stamp a data packet with a time reference value buffered andmaintained at a network time register 22 (shown FIGS. 2 and 3).

First, and as indicated by the block 72, transmission of data packetsbetween first and second communication stations formed of nodes of awireless mesh network is initiated. As indicated by the block 74, aburst of data packet is generated. Then, and as indicated by thedecision block 76, a determination is made as to whether a time stamp isto be added to a data packet of the burst.

If so, the yes branch is taken to the block 78 and a time stamp is addedto the data packet. If, conversely, a time stamp is not to be added tothe data packets of the burst, no branch is taken to the decision block82. A path is also taken from the block 78 to the decision block 82.

At the decision block 82, a determination is made as to whether hopinformation is to be also added to a data packet. If so, the yes branchis taken to the block 84, and a hop value associated with a number ofhops is added to the data packet. A branch is then taken to the decisionblock 86. If, conversely, hop information is not to be added to the datapacket, the no branch is also taken to the decision block 86.

At the decision block 86, a determination is made as to whether eventtiming information is to be added to the data packet. If so, the Sbranch is taken to the block 88, and timing information is added to thedata packet, and a branch is taken to the block 92. If the no branch istaken from the decision block 86, a branch is also taken to the block92. At the block 92, the data packet burst is transmitted. Then, a pathis taken to the end block 94.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method, shown generally at 100, of an embodiment ofthe present invention by which to utilize a time stamp added to a datapacket which is received at a second communication station forming anode of a mesh network, such as a mesh network shown in FIG. 1. The timestamp information is utilized to synchronize the second communicationstation to the first communication station from which the data packet issent.

First, subsequent to the start reception block 102, a data burst isreceived, indicated by the block 104. A receive time stamp is added tothe data packet, indicated at the block 106, to identify the receptiontime at which the data packet of the data burst is received.

Then, and as indicated at the decision block 108, a determination ismade as to whether an attempt should be made to synchronize the secondcommunication station to the first communication station. If no attemptis to be made, the no branch is taken to the end block 112. Otherwise,the yes branch is taken to the block 114 and a hop value is extractedfrom the data packet. Then, and as indicated by the block 116, adetermination is made as to whether the source of the burst of datapackets is the reference in a pseudo-hierarchical structure defined inthe mesh system. If not, the no branch is taken to the end block.Otherwise, the yes branch is taken to the block 118 and the transmittime stamp contained in the data packet is extracted. Then, and asindicated by decision block 122, a determination is made as to whethertiming information related to the occurrence of an event is available.If so, the yes branch is taken to the block 124 and the timinginformation is extracted from the data packet. Then, a branch is takento the block 126. The no branch from the decision block 122 is alsotaken to the block 126.

At the block 126, the time stamps are compared. Then, at the decisionblock 128 a determination is made as to whether the time stampscorrespond. If so, the yes branch is taken to the end block 112.Otherwise, time synchronization is performed by taking the no branch tothe block 132 and the timing information at the second communicationstation is set using the time information extracted from the data packetreceived at the communication station.

FIG. 8 illustrates signaling between two of the communication stationsforming nodes in the mesh network 10 shown in FIG. 1 pursuant tosynchronization operations effectuated during operation of an embodimentof the present invention. Here, data packets are communicated betweenthe reference node 12-C and a node 12-1 positioned at a one-hop distanceaway from the reference node. A data burst including at least one datapacket to which a time stamp has been added in manners as abovedescribed, is sent by the reference node to the 12-C, as indicated bythe arrow 122. The data packet is received at the node 12-1, and thetime stamp information is extracted therefrom, also as described above.An acknowledgment burst is returned by the node 12-1 to the referencenode 12-C, here indicated by the segment 124. By providing theacknowledgement burst back to the reference node, the propagation delayin the propagation of the data from the reference node to the node 12-1.When the acknowledgement packet is received at the reference nodes 12-C,a cumulative timing error corresponding to twice the propagation delayis contained in the signal. The reference node is able to calculate thepropagation delay responsive to the timing information contained in theacknowledgement packet and thereafter generate a message, hererepresented by the segment 126, which includes a correction factorcorrecting for the propagation delay. Thereby, the node 12-1 becomescompletely time synchronized with the reference node.

Multiple-hop communication of a data packet between successive nodes ofthe mesh network shown in FIG. 1.

Transmission of the data packet occurs during a time slot. First, forinstance, the reference node 12-C is sent to a node 12-1. Thetransmission of the data packet is advanced by the propagation timerequired to transmit the data packet to the nodes 12-1. The packettransmission is initiated prior to the start of the slot. The node 12-1passes on the data packet to a subsequent node, e.g., a node 12-2. And,transmission by the node 12-1 occurs at the start of the time slot dueto the propagation delay in transmission from the reference node to thenode 12-1. Then, once received at the subsequent node 12-2, the datapacket is forwarded is on to another of the nodes, e.g., a node 12-3.The propagation delay in communication of the data packet between thenodes 12-1 and 12-2 causes additional delay prior to forwarding the datapacket to the node 12-3.

Thereby, through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, amanner is provided by which to provide accurate time reference indiciato the nodes of the mesh network to permit time and clocksynchronization pursuant to a pseudo hierarchy using one or morereferences.

The previous descriptions are of preferred examples for implementing theinvention, and the scope of the invention should not necessarily belimited by this description. The scope of the present invention isdefined by the following claims.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. An apparatus, comprising: a network time registercoupled to receive a time reference signal of values representative of areference time, said network time register being configured to bufferand maintain updated values of the reference time; and a data formattercoupled to said network time register, said data formatter beingconfigured to format the data to be communicated between the first andat least second communication stations of the wireless mesh network, thedata, once formatted, including indicia associated with the updatedvalues of the reference time buffered at said network time register,further comprising a latch register coupled to said network timeregister, said latch register being configured to latch buffered valuesof the reference time buffered at said network time register, saidapparatus being configured for use in a wireless mesh network having afirst communication station and at least a second communication station,and being configured to perform time-synchronizing communication of databetween the first and at least second communication stations.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 21, said latch register being further configured toreceive a trigger signal being selectably applied to said latchregister, and to buffer and latch the updated values of the referencetime upon application of the trigger signal to said latch register. 23.The apparatus of claim 22, said latch register being further configuredto receive the trigger signal being applied to said latch registerresponsive to occurrence of a selected event, buffering and latching atsaid latch register event-driven responsive to the occurrence of theselected event.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23, at least a selected oneof the first and at least second communication stations being configuredto access the latched values buffered at said latch register, the valuesaccessible thereat representative of the reference time at which theselected event occurs.
 25. The apparatus of claim 21, said network timeregister forming a portion of a selected one of the first and at leastsecond communication stations and the selected one of the first and atleast second communication stations at which said network time registeris formed forming a time-reference communication station used by anonselected at least one of the first and at least second communicationstations to be synchronized thereto.
 26. The apparatus of claim 21, thedata communicated between the first communication station and the atleast the second communication station comprising packet data and saiddata formatter being further configured to format the data into datapackets of which at least selected ones of the data packets include theindicia associated with the updated values of the reference time. 27.The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a strobe register coupledto said network time register, said strobe register being configured togenerate the trigger signal which is selectably applied to said latchregister.
 28. The apparatus of claim 27, said strobe register beingfurther configured to be set with a strobe value, and the trigger signalbeing generated each time in which the strobe value counts out.
 29. Theapparatus of claim 21, further comprising a clock oscillator, said clockoscillator being configured to generate the time reference signal,values of which said network time register is coupled to receive. 30.The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising interface circuitrycoupled to said clock oscillator and to said network time register, saidinterface circuitry coupled to receive an externally-generated masterclock signal, and said interface circuitry being configured toselectively bias the clock oscillator to alter the time reference signalgenerated thereat.
 31. The apparatus of claim 30, said network timeregister, said data formatter, said clock oscillator, and said interfacecircuitry being formed at a selected one of the first communicationstation and the at least the second communication station and another ofthe first and at least second communication stations being configured togenerate the externally-generated master clock signal.
 32. In thewireless mesh network of claim 31, an apparatus for the other of thefirst and at least second communication stations, said apparatuscomprising an extractor for extracting the indicia associated with theupdated values of the reference time when the data is communicated tothe other of the first and at least second communication stations. 33.The apparatus of claim 32, said network time register comprising a firstnetwork time register formed at the selected one of the first and atleast second communication stations and a second time register formed atthe other of the first and at least second communication stations, saiddata formatter comprising a first data formatter formed at the selectedone of the first and at least second communication stations and a seconddata formatter formed at the other of the first and at least secondcommunication stations.
 34. A method, comprising: buffering andmaintaining updated values of a reference time responsive to receptionof a time reference signal of values representative of a reference time;and formatting the data to be communicated between the first and atleast second communication stations of the wireless mesh network, thedata, once formatted, including indicia associated with the updatedvalues of the reference time buffered during said buffering, furthercomprising the operation of latching a buffered value of the referencetime buffered during said buffering, said method for communicating in awireless mesh network having a first communication station and at leasta second communication station, and for time-synchronizing communicationof data between the first and at least second communication stations.35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the operation ofselectably generating a trigger signal, said operation of latching beingperformed responsive to generation of the trigger signal.
 36. The methodof claim 35, said operation of selectably generating the trigger signalbeing performed responsive to occurrence of a selected event.
 37. Themethod of claim 34, the data to be communicated between the first and atleast second communication stations comprising packet data and saidoperation of formatting comprising adding the indicia associated withthe updated values of the reference time to at least select ones of datapackets of the packet data.
 38. The method of claim 37, said operationsof buffering and formatting being performed at the first communicationstation and said method further comprising the operations of: sendingthe packet data to the second communication station; extracting theindicia associated with the updated values of the reference time fromthe at least selected ones of the data packets; and using the indiciaextracted during said operation of extracting to synchronize the secondcommunication station to the reference time buffered during saidoperation of buffering and maintaining.
 39. An apparatus, comprising: anetwork time register means coupled to receive a time reference signalof values representative of a reference time, said network time registermeans for buffering and maintaining updated values of the referencetime; and a data formatter means coupled to said network time registermeans, said data formatter means for formatting the data to becommunicated between the first and at least second communicationstations of the wireless mesh network, the data, once formatted,including indicia associated with the updated values of the referencetime buffered at said network time register means, further comprising alatch register means coupled to said network time register means, saidlatch register means for latching buffered values of the reference timebuffered at said network time register means, said apparatus beingconfigured for use in a wireless mesh network having a firstcommunication station and at least a second communication station, andfor performing time-synchronizing communication of data between thefirst and at least second communication stations.